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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

DJ Olive - Triage

DJ Olive works in epic territory. He has been for some time now and with Triage, the third piece in his sleep triptych (a serious of albums specially made as an ode/aid to sleeplessness), DJ Olive has secured a spot among the ambient elite. For some readers, this may seem like a late assertion, but for little old me, the constant latecomer, Triage is an eye opening, mind expanding experience. Along with being a succulent slab of drone-based dreamscapery, DJ Olive’s latest marks a wonderful accomplishment in being received as an installation in the 2008 Whitney Biennial. I was at the Biennial in 2006 and it was superb, one of the best art experiences of my life, so it is a pretty hefty honor to be chosen as a participating artist. I was just checking the album information and Olive can now name check Mr. Christian Fennesz as well, who assisted in the production on Triage. That is never a bad thing, right? Yeah, definite plus. However, these are just auxiliary talking points - associative buzz. What is really wonderful about Triage surpasses the talking points. The work DJ Olive has put forth here enters another realm, a semi-spiritual space that is equal parts gorgeous and grave. Like his previous entries in the sleep series, Triage embarks on a journey via one lengthy track that clocks in at just under an hour. As a work associated specifically with sleeping, active listening requires patience and results in transcendence. Approaching Triage as an album is kind of like approaching the Pacific ocean (or any ocean for that matter), all you can see is the blue skyline. It’s endless appearance seems daunting. However, once submerged, Triage is anything but monotonous. DJ Olive has come into his own on this one, employing a barrage of vintage effects and utilizing a variety of musicians in order to create a perpetually forward moving animal that is constantly entering new, enchanting areas of sound and space. Sleep seems quite fleeting for me as of late (and even more so for Sassigrass), but even if Triage isn’t aiding my slumber, listening to it is just as rejuvenating as good eight hours of shut eye.